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Bilious billboard

There is no constitutional right to protect people from being offended. That’s good news for Loma artist Paul Snover and whoever funded the giant cartoon Snover painted that now adorns a billboard near 28 1/2 Road and the Interstate 70 Business Loop, because that billboard is certainly offensive.

Let’s be clear. The First Amendment gives Snover and his financial backer the right to make their views known, especially with respect to political issues and our government.

Every president since George Washington has been the subject of pointed caricatures by political opponents. President Barack Obama isn’t due any special consideration in that regard.

But, as the president, he does deserve some modicum of respect. And Snover’s cartoon depicting Obama as a Muslim suicide bomber, a gangster, a Mexican bandit and a gay man is anything but respectful.

Furthermore, it is a confusing message that seems to link every objectionable organization to Obama and “DemocRats.” The Fed, the IRS and the EPA are hardly Obama’s creations, nor are they exclusively Democratic.

Snover’s commentary does nothing to further informed political discussion in this community. We suspect those who loathe the president will love it, those who support him will hate it, but no one will decide how to vote based on seeing the sign.

Snover and his backers have a right to post their message. We and everyone who thinks politics should be about more than cheap-shot attacks have a right to voice our objections to such visual flatulence.